File this web tool under “why didn’t someone think of this before?” FillAnyPDF.com lets you upload any pdf or image file (such as a blank form), type on it, and then save the completed form as a new pdf file.
It’s not perfect, but it’s easier than a typewriter. I’ll use this both for patrons and myself, and I’m still surprised there aren’t tons of these sites out there.
via LibraryStuff
Patron comes to the desk and asks,
Are you Andy?
I say no, and he looks a little puzzled, but then continues:
Oh. We can’t make the projector work for our meeting, and when I asked for help and the desk upstairs, they said come down here and ask for someone. I forget what name they said, but they said look for the redhead, so I just figured your name must be Andy.
And yes, he was serious, but he did apologize when I said my name is Brian.
Sometimes, being a librarian equates to being a packrat. At least in the virtual world, I can collect as many links as I want and it doesn’t take up any room. However, to be useful, it does take organization.
For awhile now I’ve been bookmarking posts about free resources for clipart, photographs and other artwork. I use them for library publications, and also for my posts here. But just this week I got my act together and started transferring those links from my Bloglines account to my Delicious account, and thought I’d share them.
If you’re curious how to do this with Delicious, check out my how-two post for creating library subject guides.
And just for good measure, here are a few web design tools I had bookmarked, too:
In honor of Veterans Day, Ancestry.com is offering free access to all of its US Military resources through Friday, Nov. 13th.
An AP story also says that Ancestry has added some new resources, including
…more than 600 Navy cruise books…[which] include the names and photos of those who served on ships…one book - a 1946 edition for the U.S.S. Pennsylvania - includes a photo of TV legend Johnny Carson.
Great idea, Ancestry - thank you. And if I may suggest another great idea: offer libraries remote access at an affordable price.
via LibraryStuff
I’ve been working on an answer to Debbie’s comment about a guide to ready reference, but am sorry to say I haven’t been able to find one.
Searches on the web found a lot of great ready reference lists of websites, but not print books. Amazon lists some, but I don’t have them to review. I remember having such lists in my library school text books, so maybe that’s the best place to look.
But as I thought about this, and looked at what’s on the ready reference shelf at my library, I concluded two things:
So in the spirit of the second one, here’s an overview of resources on the ready reference shelf in my library. If you’re so inclined, please share what you’ve got on your shelf - I’d really be curious to know.
For staff to help answer computer questions:
Things that don’t really get used but I feel we should have:
Quick Facts & Referencey books (for annual resources, we keep the current year in ready reference and move past years to the reference collection):
Government Information:
Business Directories:
Local Information:
Shelved right next to the desk
Granted, many of these only get used once or twice a year, if that, and almost all have online versions (or equivalents). But I really like being able to answer a question just by grabbing a book within reach, showing a patron how to look it up, and then let them sit at a table absorbing the information. I don’t know, it feels more tangible and satisfying than relying on Google for everything.
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I’ve never met a certainty I couldn’t misconstrue.
- Mary Prankster
